After editing an article this morning about bikes, I have to admit it made me feel like dusting mine off. Plenty of my top errand spots are within easy biking distance, making it a potentially great way to save gas and get some exercise. But there’s one big thing stopping me from venturing off my city’s bicycle paths. Or rather, many big things: cars, trucks…buses. The idea of huffing it up a hill with a line of traffic angrily passing me is just a tad too intimidating.

That’s why many bikers are pushing for their own transportation dollars — money to fund projects that make roads safer for bikers and pedestrians. And while the majority of the transportation budget usually goes toward highways, Rep. Jim Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is hoping to secure more money for bikers, according to the Wall Street Journal’s Environmental Capital blog.